West Virginia

West Virginia, state in east-central United States; bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast, Virginia to the east and south, Kentucky to the southwest, and the Ohio River (with Ohio on the opposite side) to the west and northwest.

Land and climate

West Virginia has three main land areas. A tiny strip at the state's northeastern corner is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a region of fertile slopes and river valleys. In the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, which runs in a narrow band along the state's eastern border, high ridges of hard rock are separated by parallel valleys with streams or rivers flowing in them. The Appalachian Plateau, which covers most of the state, is a rugged area of flat highlands, narrow stream valleys, and sloping hills; most of the state's coal deposits are in this region. The Ohio is the state's major river; other important waterways are the Kanawha and the Potomac. There are no large natural lakes; artificial ones have been formed by damming the rivers. Forests covers about four-fifths of the state. West Virginia has warm, humid summers and cold winters. Principal cities are Charleston, Huntington, and Wheeling.

Economy

West Virginia's economy is led by mining, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade. Coal is the chief mining product; others are natural gas, crushed stone, sand and gravel, clays, and salt. Chief manufactured goods are chemicals; primary metals; stone, clay, and glass products; plastic and hardwood products; and fabricated metal products. Agriculture accounts for less than half of 1% of West Virginia's gross state product; beef and dairy cattle and hay are the chief agricultural products.

Government

West Virginia's present constitution was adopted in 1872. The governor serves a 4-year term. The state legislature consists of 34 senators serving 4-year terms and 100 delegates serving 2-year terms. In the U.S. Congress, West Virginia is represented by 2 senators and 3 representatives.

History

West Virginia's history until 1861 is essentially the same as Virginia's, although West Virginia was distinguished by its isolation from the state capital, by the fact that few West Virginians owned slaves, and by its economy (small-scale farming and industries based on mineral resources). In 1861, when a Virginia convention voted to secede from the Union, West Virginians refused to do so. They declared their independence, adopted a constitution (1862), and became the 35th state in 1863. In the early 20th century, West Virginia's rapid expansion in the coal, gas, and steel industries was accompanied by severe labor-management conflicts and by riots. The formation of the National Recovery Administration (1933) improved miners' wages and working conditions. World War II brought industrial growth to the state but, from the 1950s onward, demand for the state's mining products fell. West Virginia remained poor, its land and water resources damaged by strip mining, and many people left the state. The energy shortage of the 1970s temporarily boosted the state's economy, but coal prices dropped in the early 1980s; by the mid-1980s, West Virginia's unemployment rate was the nation's highest. In recent years state leaders have worked to attract tourism and more diverse industries to West Virginia.